


Teach Me Something New

by GhostGrantaire



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 17:17:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11764656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostGrantaire/pseuds/GhostGrantaire
Summary: Lucas has always been a great teacher, but that doesn't mean he has all the answers.





	Teach Me Something New

“You’re a really good teacher,” Will told him one day.

They were twelve years old, sitting in the treehouse, math homework sprawled out in front of them. Lucas stopped from where he was writing down the steps of a problem for Will on a notecard and looked up at the other boy. Will was smiling at him in that genuine way of his, and it took Lucas a bit off guard.

“Really?” He asked before he could find another response. “Mike says I’m a shit teacher.”

“Mike’s a shitty student,” Will amended. “You’re a good teacher. You’re patient and you’re really good and breaking stuff down. It’s cool.”

Lucas felt his face heat up at the compliment, and he was grateful it didn’t show up as a blush. He ducked his head back down, returning to the problem so he didn’t have to look at his friend. “Thanks.”

“You should be a teacher when you grow up,” Will continued. Lucas blinked before frowning up at him.

“I’m gonna be in the army,” he reminded Will. “Like my dad, remember?”

“Well, okay,” Will said with a frown, like he wanted to argue but wasn’t sure how. “After the army then.”

Lucas shrugged. “Yeah, maybe.”

***

The thing is, Lucas was always going to join the army.

It was always a fact for him growing up, a decision he’d made so long ago he didn’t even remember making it. He remembered curling up on his dad’s lap as a young kid and tracing the scar on his dad’s stomach and listening to his dad tell him stories. He remembered the first time his dad had shown him the Purple Heart and the way that Lucas’ heart had swelled with pride at the sight of it.

He wanted his future son to feel the same pride in him that he’d always felt towards his dad. So the army was never a hard choice for him.

So Lucas didn’t know how to react when Will walked in on him teaching little Holly about how binoculars worked and brightened like Lucas had performed a miracle. Or when Will watched him carefully while he taught Max how to dance. Or later, when he tried to explain to El how computers worked when they were both rather drunk after getting into the Wheeler’s liquor cabinet and Will stared at him for the rest of the night with parted lips and bright eyes.

When he was teaching something, no matter what it was, Will looked at him like he was the world. Lucas didn’t know why, but he really didn’t want that to go away.

But he kept his eyes fixed firmly on the army, ignoring the twinges of anxiety and displeasure he began to feel as he got older and started really understanding the situation he was getting himself into. This was what he’d always wanted.

***

It was the July before their senior year when things really changed for Lucas. They were all squished onto the couches of the Wheeler’s basement, the unofficial meeting spot that they’d never allowed themselves to give up. They were in the process of getting up and racing up the stairs for dinner when Lucas accidentally kicked over his backpack and all of his homework and miscellaneous papers spilled out.

Lucas cursed loudly before bending down to pick it all up as the others continued to run. He was almost finished repacking it all when a dark brown and green pamphlet caught his eye. He stopped, picking up the brochure and staring at it with a slight frown. He sat back down, his back against the old couch as he stared at the men in the photo.

“Lucas?” Will asked from the doorway. Lucas hadn’t heard him come back, but he didn’t look up at him, staring instead at the ROTC pamphlet in his hand. He heard Will come back down the stairs and after a second he took a seat beside his friend. “What’s up?”

When Lucas didn’t reply, Will pushed a bit more. “Is it about the pamphlet?”

Lucas took a deep breath, not taking his eyes off of the men in the photos, standing proud and confident. “I don’t– I don’t think I want to… anymore.”

He hadn’t ever admitted that to anyone. He knew that didn’t make sense. He could only hope that Will could understand without Lucas having to spell it out. He didn’t think he could say it out loud if his life depended on it.

“Oh,” Will answered. Lucas tried to listen for any surprise or judgment, but the word was free of both. 

“I went to all of these meetings and talks with these people, and I just… I didn’t want it.” Lucas looked up at last, hoping he didn’t look as scared as he felt. Will stared back with wide eyes. He didn’t want to explain further. He didn’t want to talk about how terrified he’d gotten when thinking about the battalions and how he felt like he already had one, or the flashbacks he’d gotten immediately at the sight of the pistol on the hip of one of the officers. 

“That makes sense,” Will said gently after a pause. “I mean, to be fair, you’ve already fought in your own wars. Just… different monsters.”

Lucas nodded, looking back down. It was easing to hear Will put it so simply, like maybe he wasn’t crazy for thinking this way. But there was still a thought bugging him in the back of his head.

“I just…” Lucas cut off in frustration. “I always thought I was gonna be like my dad.”

“You are like your dad,” Will disagreed, watching him carefully. “You’re always talking about how brave he is, and how strong, and how caring he is towards other people. You’re all of those things already.”

Lucas swallowed, glancing at Will. Will was blushing slightly– he always did blush so easily– but he eyes were determined and genuine. Lucas paused, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

“But I’m too scared to join the army,” Lucas confessed in a whisper, feeling shame creep through his veins like a sickness. “I’m too scared to fight again.”

Will paused, his eyes sad. After a second he reached out, interlacing their fingers together slowly. Lucas stared at their hands, starkly different in every way, and found a strange sense of comfort in the picture. “Lucas, you’re the bravest person I know.”

Lucas stared at him with wide eyes. He’d been told he was brave before, by his friends, by his parents, even by his teachers occasionally. But when Will said it, it meant something more. Probably because Lucas couldn’t even dream of being as brave as he knew Will Byers was.

Lucas sighed and leant against the back of the couch before tossing the pamphlet to the floor. “Well now what am I supposed to do? It’s not like I have any back up plans. I never needed them before.”

Will leaned back as well, pushing their shoulders together. Lucas looked over at him, surprised to see a smirk on Will’s lips. “You could always be a teacher.”

Lucas raised his eyebrows, smiling slightly. “Yeah, you think so?”

“Sure,” Will answered. He chuckled, raising his eyebrows. “‘Mr. Sinclair, the dashing algebra teacher’. I think it works.”

Lucas let a surprised laugh fall out of his lips. “Dashing?” He repeated with raised eyebrows. “You know, I’m no stranger to compliments, but I don’t think _dashing_ –”

“Shut up,” Will laughed. “I’m trying to be supportive, you dick.”

Lucas snorted, his head falling to his chest. He allowed himself to relax, finally taking a deep breath. He wasn’t looking forward to telling his parents about his change in decisions, but at least he felt like he could breathe again.

When he looked up, Will was leaning against the couch, a tiny content smile playing on his lips as he stared up at the ceiling. Lucas felt his own lips pull into a smile as he looked at the smaller boy. Will was always the best at putting a smile onto Lucas’ face, and Lucas suddenly felt incredibly grateful for that.

He recognized suddenly that he hadn’t let go of Will’s hand from earlier. When he realized that, he couldn’t help but hold on a bit tighter, which caught Will’s attention, and he looked over with wide inquisitive eyes that made Lucas’ breath speed up.

_What the hell,_ Lucas thought in a moment of stunning clarity. _I can be brave._

Without waiting, he leaned forward quickly, pressing a gentle but intentional kiss on Will’s lips. They were soft, like Lucas expected them to be, but he was still surprised because he realized that he must’ve thought about this before. He’d thought about what it’d be like to kiss Will, which brought along its own set of realizations.

Will didn’t freeze or pull back. His free hand rested lightly on Lucas’ knee as he kissed back, and Lucas could feel the warmth even through the layer of his jeans.

After a long moment, they broke apart, drawing back to look at each other and read reactions. After what felt like eternity, Will smiled.

“I’ve never–” Will broke off, a nervous chuckle bubbling out of his throat. “I’ve never kissed anyone like that before.”

Lucas gave him a small excited smile, feeling his chest spark excitedly when he felt Will squeeze his hand tighter. “I guess I’ll have to teach you then.”

**Author's Note:**

> Anyway this ship is so unloved it makes my heart ache, but I'll love them enough for the whole fandom if I have to.
> 
> Come talk to me on [tumblr](http://www.ghost-grantaire.tumblr.com)!


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